Fact or fiction: Sex-change funding

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters yesterday tried to trade on a story about an elderly Taranaki transsexual's bid for sex-change surgery.

"Peters slams $30,000 state-funded sex-change operation," his media release was headlined.

The release said Mr Peters was outraged that 73-year-old transsexual Vicki Harvey, a man who considers himself a woman, was able to secure the state-paid operation when thousands of New Zealanders who needed urgent medical care were on waiting lists or were suffering from debilitating illnesses.

Fact: Vicki Harvey has not yet been assessed for a taxpayer-funded sex-change operation.

The story in Saturday's Taranaki Daily News, which kicked off the debate, said the Ministry of Health "will pay for the operation".

But a spokesman for Health Minister Annette King last night told the Herald that no decision had been made on whether Vicki Harvey qualified for a state-paid sex-change. A strict psychiatric assessment was needed first.

"This guy hasn't been assessed yet."

The Daily News' website had quoted Ms King saying virtually the same thing on Monday.